Southern California Education Fund (SCEF)

The Southern California Education Fund (SCEF)* is a training institute in Los Angeles County that provides leadership development and education to member congregations, schools and nonprofits of One LA -IAF.

Our mission is to prepare a powerful network of leaders in low-income communities, and their allies, to act through their institutions to address the injustices that keep families caught in the cycle of poverty.

In bringing together diverse community institutions, SCEF creates a vehicle through which low-income leaders can build strong relationships within and across communities, and develop leadership and organizing skills to act powerfully together on concrete issues for the common good.

Conference attendees discussed moral and economic arguments in support of immigration, and highlighted local efforts to support immigrants and refugees. A citizenship class project initiated by Temple Judea and Our Lady of Grace inspired many leaders to consider following suit. [Photo Credit: Rafael Paz]

Thanks to a generous grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and in collaboration with the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese and local organizations One LA and ICON, the Interfaith Education Fund and Southern California Education Fund trained 103 mostly immigrant leaders in the habits and practices of leadership.

The English and Spanish-language trainings were organized to allow participants to reflect and act on the mission of the church for the greater good of our communities. Bishop David O'Connell joined the trainees on both days of the course, inspiring many to take next steps to become leaders in their parishes.